Organization of Human Cingulate Cortex

The basis for reporting human imaging observations, including those taken from patients with a history of abuse, are termed cytoarchitectural maps (cyto=cell, architecture) by layer to identify areas. Our last map was created in 1995 (Library #96) and can be consulted for details of the process. After more than two decades, it is time to generate a much more accurate and quantitative map using digital technology. (A.). Instead of the investigator attempting to identify areas, the system uses machine learning to outline neurons (B.) and calculates the densities of neurons in each layer; the depth profile for 1 mm wide strips of cortex will be identified in what is termed a sliding window (D.). When done by hand, one window takes 6 hours to create and would require thousands of hours to perform in cingulate cortex; only a small part of which is shown in D. Once we have identified borders between the areas (each is numbered), a map is generated as in E. (CG, cingulate gyrus; ECG, external cingulate gyrus). This map will be placed in standard imaging coordinates so that human studies can perform volumetric and functional imaging with this new information.
​
Thank you for your support of this very important work.